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4.0 out of 5 stars
Warning, this is not a collection of hits by Herbie Hancock, it is actually an edition of the album "Baraka", December 6, 2010
This review is from: Very Best of Herbie Hancock (Audio CD)
The word "Baraka" may stand for "blessing", "spiritual wisdom", "blessing from God", "spiritual power", "charisma", etc., it comes down to meaning something like "Sacred". In this highly "spiritual" and consciousness raising album that was actually recorded in 1969, called "Baraka", Herbie Hancock was accompanied by a troupe of good musicians/instrumentalists, like Don Cherry with the trumpet, percussion and vocals, Ed Blackwell on drums (notice that these two were regular members of the first Ornette Coleman's ensembles), Jimmie Heath on tenor sax, Toudie Heath also on drums, Buster Willims on bass, Billy Bonner, on flute and percussion, and James Mtume on congas. The music presented here represents an exploration of various figures and forms of spirituality through music, following on the steps of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". Each piece has to do with an specific aspect of spirituality, for example, "Baraka" stands usually for "blessing", "Maulana" stands for "Our lord or our master", "Kawaida" stands for culture as principle and source of people's identity in a form of African philosophical thought; "Dunia" stands for the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world. The music flows pretty well with nice ensemble improvisations that although are not very challenging to the ears, are quite engaging in terms of beauty and musicality. This album is indeed a pioneer of the most interesting jazz blended with world music that would be made from mid seventies on; the pieces excell in rhythm experimentation and sweet soloings with flute, cornet, sax, drums, percussion and piano. Besides, the vocals are not invested in singing but on speech, delivering the thoughts about culture, identity, anti-discrimination, family and community unity in the framework of African American liberation. This album is available in Amazon under a very biased title: "The very best of Herbie Hancock", The remastered Herbie Hancock Collection, Jazz Collectors, Music Brokers, 2006. As you may well see, the cd is not a collection of hits, however that is the way it is titled. So, if you do not want to wait for this edition of "Baraka", go and take "The very best of Herbie Hancock", it contains the same music although under an inaccurate title.
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